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Meet debates maritime issues

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI Nov. 9. The immigration problems encountered in some ports by ship Masters and those rescued at sea, and the need to address the issue at an early date came up for some serious discussion at an international conference on maritime search and rescue, which ended here on Friday.

The conference, which brought Coast Guard personnel from 16 countries together, and representatives from international organisations including the International Maritime Organisation and satellite providers, debated the need to settle "ground level" issues involved in extending a helping hand to ships and crews in distress.

It recognised the need to provide and coordinate regional and sub-regional search and rescue services through enhanced cooperation and coordination among States.

The recommendations of the conference, organised by the Indian Coast Guard, was conveyed to the International Maritime Organisation for action.

The conference said that the IMO and the International Civil Aviation Organisation could assist search and rescue (SAR) organisations of coastal States in the Indian Ocean region in "the development of regional and national SAR services, arriving at SAR agreements, the development of reliable low cost distress alerting devices and training of personnel on SAR services.''

It urged the parties to the conference to "establish focal points of contact for expeditious exchange of SAR information to deal effectively with different kinds of distress incidents; encourage participation of all shipping, irrespective of flag, in the newly-developed INDSAR Ship Reporting System whilst transiting the Indian SAR region; coordinate installation and use of appropriate GMDSS shore-based facilities; facilitate meetings of representatives of the authorities responsible for coordination of M-SAR of respective States, to enhance cooperation and the exchange of information and experience and encourage joint exercises, so as to train SAR personnel and evolve common working procedures.''

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